While some Trekkies tremble with excitement, others may be less optimistic about director/writer J.J. Abrams's decision to boldly go where other men have gone before -- a Star Trek movie. This time a prequel chronicling a younger, greener USS Enterprise crew's early days in Starfleet.

But then, what could possibly be so bad -- or good -- about Abrams's warp speed ambitions?

What Could Go Right

1. Star Trek: Mission Impossible -- Abrams has a knack for slick, fast-paced, addictively entertaining action set to a trendy techno beat. Think Sydney Bristow in a judo-chopping spy showdown. Imagine how J.J. would stage a duel-till-you-die between Kirk and a 30-foot alien squid trained in cosmic kung fu.

2. Aliens we can believe in -- Abrams also has an eye for special effects and special creatures -- remember Cloverfield's lost, loping skyscraper-sized baby monster (but forget the rest of the film's laughable acting and general ridiculousness)? Plus, special effects have come a long way from the days of slapping a sparkly silver sheet over an actor's head, cutting out eyeholes and calling it president of Planet X.

3. Comedy: good for crew morale -- Hot Fuzz's Simon Pegg as Scottie, Harold and Kumar's John Cho as Lt. Sulu -- both could beam a fresh supply of humor to the ship's quirky comic veterans.

What Could Go Wrong

1. Star Trek: Teenage Angst -- Abrams directed Lost and Alias, but he also birthed Felicity. Consider his Star Trek's plot line as "a young, new crew" fulfilling Abrams's "new vision" of the Roddenberry brainchild. Then contemplate the Enterprise's boyishly handsome officers -- the princess-romancing Chris Pine as Kirk, Heroes' Sylar, Zachary Quinto as Spock, Born Supremacy bad-ass Karl Urban as Dr. "Bones" McCoy, the casting of anyone as "adolescent Spock" -- is J.J. giving the crew a boy band makeover? Will he sacrifice substance for sex appeal? (Not that the original TV series was without its green-bodied erotic-dancing alien smuttiness. And sex appeal sells better than substance.)

2. Ryder changing Spock's diapers -- Do we really need to clarify why Winona as Spock's mom is worrisome? Oh wait, his mother was human. She could channel the passion of Little Women or 2008's The Last Word, the tale of a man who earns his living writing suicide notes and his love for the sister of a client (Ryder). Wonderful ...

3. The wrath of the Klingons (and other similarly attired fans waiting in line outside theaters) -- Retooling a long-lived classic is a risky endeavor -- a little like fixing something that isn't broke. The saga's past success is a hard act to follow; fans' expectations are likely to be high and their wrath relentless, should Abrams fail to please.

In Nimoy We Trust
Still, Nimoy's in it -- as Old Spock. So it can't be that bad, right? Plus, if you love sci-fi and are fond of Star Trek (both generations of TV and films) -- whether you're wary of the coming mission or already wearing your USS Enterprise uniform in eager anticipation -- you'll surely want to see J.J.'s redo.

It's an old favorite with a new twist. The theatrical release will be a sci-fi nut's Christmas morning. Though it may not turn out to be what audiences hoped for, it's still something to look forward to, until the prize is revealed (or the disappointment and resentment set in).

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